History

Background

The Southern Basketball Association (SBA) was founded in 1974 and was originally located in Waltham Street, Sandringham.

What was once a modest competition running with one court has since grown into a 550+ team competition now located in Tulip Street Cheltenham. The SBA caters to both domestic and representative levels.

The domestic competition runs daily with participants as young as 7yrs, all the way through to the ages to 55+ for both men and women. These competitions are a great opportunity to recreate in a safe, posive and fun envioroment for all.

SABRES is the representative arm of the SBA and begins at U/12 level for both boys and girls.

The competeition continues all the way through the ranks to the SEABL teams for both Men and Women. The SEABL conferences are considered the strongest in the ABA, developing many emerging Australian Boomers players, as well as fostering a highly competitive semi-professional competition. It is considered a second tier national competition to the NBL, boasting teams from every state or territory other than Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

The SBA has a 7 member honorary Committee of Management, who oversee the direction and future of the SBA.

Sandringham Sabres – The First 25 Years

About the Book

Sandringham Sabres – The First 25 Years, is an eBook compiled and edited by Chris Bennett, an SBA Life Member, for the 25th Anniversary of the Sandringham Sabres.

It is a great way to learn about the history of the club and we encourage all our members to have a read.

The book is available in High Resolution 28.3MB or Low Resolution 12.4MB. Please download the Low Resolution version below.

Who Was Robert Lunardon

Since 1987 the Southern Basketball Association has each year awarded the most outstanding Sabres junior boy and girl the Robert Lunardon Award. This is the highest individual award given to our junior Sabres, but for those who now receive the award the name behind the award is simply that, just a name! Who was Robert Lunardon? Read on and find out.

Robert Lunardon was the younger brother of the former SBA President Steven Lunardon. For many years he was an active and talented participant in the game we all know and love both in the domestic competition as a player and referee and on Friday nights for the Sabres. Robert began playing basketball at around the age of 10 and had always loved the game. He showed potential and had been selected to attend several talent identification camps through Basketball Victoria. However, despite playing and training several times a week, Robert always appeared to fatigue and show lethargy, something was not quite right. Check ups with doctors revealed that he had a heart condition, cardiomyopathy. It affects approximately 1 in 500 people and in extreme cases it is now treated by heart transplant.

Robert had also just commenced year 12 at St. Bedes in Mentone and was interested in graphics, particularly architecture. He had arranged with then SBA President, Ross Graham to borrow the plans for the current four court venue we now enjoy as at that time it was merely in the planning stage.

On February 13, 1987, Robert travelled out to Nunawading to play for the Sabres. During the game, whilst sitting on the bench he collapsed and despite the best efforts of all who assisted him, he was unable to be revived. A week later at his funeral as a mark of respect the plans he never managed to collect were buried with him. Further, the SBA saw fit to honour his memory and unfulfilled talents by naming our associations highest available award in junior representative basketball in his name.

There is also a similar award named after him for the SBRA outstanding referee of the year, an indication of the mark this young man left on his peers in his 16 short years.

Hopefully this helps you to know a little more about the person behind the name behind the award and the special place it holds in SBA history.